A Dark World
by WisperRanger26
Summary: Will steered Tug, and the small horse leaped over a fallen tree. He was starting to pull away from the guards, their giant battle horses just couldn't maneuver in the thick undergrowth. "We'll get you Treaty! You're a traitor to the crown, one we'll not stand!" His pursuer shouted as Will sped away. Will only gr Rated T for possible (and probable) violence in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Will's horse's hooves thundered, smashing into the ground, sending bits of dirt flying. His pursuers were hot on his feet, and he wasn't about to go to prison. Not for a long, long time. He'd already been there once, barely escaping with his life.

Will steered Tug, and the small horse leaped over a fallen tree. He was starting to pull away from the guards, their giant battle horses just couldn't maneuver in the thick undergrowth.

"We'll get you Treaty! You're a traitor to the crown, one we'll not stand!" His pursuer shouted as Will sped away. Will only grinned. They'd never catch him.

 ***Imma line break***

"Will Treaty!" Alyss thundered as Will walked into their cottage.

"What? I'm safe and free, so what the deal?" Will asked, spreading out his hands.

"What's the deal? What's the deal?" Alyss repeated, her voice rising. "The deal is," she started, "that you almost. Got. Captured!" She said, pointing a finger into Will's chest at every word. "And where would that leave us? Starving? Dead? Hunted down like wild animals?"

"You know that I will never get captured, and neither will you." Will said easily. "Plus I got us dinner." He finished, holding up a bag. In it, Will knew, was several loaves of bread and three ducks. It would feed them for the next three days, maybe four if they managed it well. Not that Alyss cared.

"Does it look like I give a single fuck about that?" Alyss asked. "No. You nearly got caught!"

"Yes," Will started, cutting Alyss off, "but I didn't. We both knew we were taking a chance when we fled, proving which side we're on. We both knew we would be taking a dangerous path." Will stated. Alyss paused her fuming, seeing Will's logic.

"Just, be more careful next time, will you?" Alyss asked.

"I will." Will promised, smiling.

"Daddy! You're home!" a young voice cheered.

"There you are my evening star!" Will said, sweeping the child up off her feet. He pulled her into a hug, and she giggled. "How are you, Oakleaf?"

"Fine, now that you're home! Look, I got blueberries." Oakleaf said, holding out a small fistful of blueberries. Will smiled and took one, popping it in his mouth.

"Delicious." He declared, and set the girl down.

"Well, if you're quite done, we've got to get diner ready." Alyss said, forgetting her earlier anger.

"Yes, we are 'quite done.' " Will said smiling. He then went to ready a duck, grabbing it and bringing it outside.

"Don't forget to clean your saxe before you start!" Alyss called.

"Yes ma'am!" Will said, mock saluting. Alyss just grinned and shook her head.

"Ok Oakleaf, we've got to make this 'mortal bread' into food for the faeries!" Alyss said, using an old game.

"Will they come this time?" Oakleaf asked, her eyes wide.

"Maybe, if we get it right." Alyss said. Then she lowered her tone to a whisper. "Or, if we eat it ourselves we could be able to get Magiks." Oakleaf's eyes grew even wider, and she gasped.

"Really? I could get my Magiks _early?"_ Oakleaf cried. Alyss grinned.

"Maybe." was all she would say. Oakleaf scrambled to the kitchen section of the cottage.

It had been this way for all of the little girl's life, as far as she could remember. But it was not always constant hiding. Once upon a time, the kingdom was ruled by a fair king, King Duncan. Then Morgarath, a jealous baron, grew angry and overthrew him. Anyone who had been loyal to King Duncan had fled or been killed. Anyone who protested this, was also killed. King Morgarath-for the was what he was now called-ruled with an iron fist and anyone who disobeyed him hung.

Needless to say, very few of Will and Alyss' friends are now alive. Horace was somewhere in Skandia, though his whereabouts were unknown, Gilan was on the run, and no one knew where Halt and Lady Pauline were. Cassandra was killed along with her father. Arald was playing along, hoping to find something to destroy Morgarath with.

Will hadn't seen any of them in quite some time.

"Mommy, where's the faerie dust?" Oakleaf asked.

"I believe it's in the spices cupboard." Alyss called back. Faerie dust was what they called poppy seeds. It had started as a mere game, but now it stuck. There was already enough of the Magiks in the world, why not introduce it to the girl?

Alyss went outside to get some kindling for the fire, passing Will along the way. He was nearly done with the duck, and the feathers were in a semi-neat pile near the stump which Will used for cleaning the meat.

Her heart nearly stopped as she heard a piercing scream from the house.

"Mommy!" Oakleaf screeched. "It hurts! Magiks hurt!"

"No. Please, no, no." Alyss murmured, dashing for the house. Will joined her, and they found their daughter in the kitchen, poppy seeds everywhere. A ball of black light surrounded her, and a fierce wind whipped the cabin into a mess.

"Help!" Oakleaf shrieked.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Mommy!" Oakleaf screeched. "It hurts! Magiks hurt!"_

 _"No. Please, no, no." Alyss murmured, dashing for the house. Will joined her, and they found their daughter in the kitchen, poppy seeds everywhere. A ball of black light surrounded her, and a fierce wind whipped the cabin into a mess._

 _"Help!" Oakleaf shrieked._

"Honey, just hold on! It'll be done soon." Alyss called. Will's eyes widened. His own Magiks bestowing had been much too early, maybe when he was about four. Oakleaf was a mere seven years old, and getting your Magiks was not something you wanted to go through until you were a least ten. Getting your Magiks redesigned your very soul, rewiring it for the Magiks to be allowed in.

First, your soul was torn to shreds. Then the Magiks came, entering and sealing itself in. Your soul was then pieced back together. The most dangerous part however, was for your soul to accept the Magiks. If it rejected it, you would die. Young Quinn, one of Will's ward mates, had gone that way. Will's soul had come so close to rejecting the Magiks that it almost started to destroy itself.

"Make it stop!" Oakleaf cried, her little legs kicking in the air.

Finally it was over, and the ball of light had lessened. It slowly descended, bringing little Oakleaf with it. She had been worn out, and her face was pale. Alyss and Will had stood over her, wringing their hands and waiting. It was all they could do-watch and wait.

And hope.

After what seemed to be forever, Oakleaf had murmured and stirred. Alyss and Will were all over her, and they held her close.

"It's ok, it's ok. It's ok Oakleaf." Will said, holding her close. Alyss stroked her hair, and Oakleaf leaned into Will's arms.

"I'm ok." She said in a small voice.

 ***Imma line break***

Halt watched grimly as Morgarath's troops trained furiously. They were always at it, half his cavalry resting at day, half at night. Each time one turned in, the other half replaced it.

The wargal's guttural chant drifted on the wind to Halt's ears, and he shook his head. It was the same thing every day. Guarded day and night. Never leaving an opening.

All he had to do was stab that bastard Morgarath, then he could nominate someone good for the throne. Maybe Horace, if someone were to find him.

Alive at least.

Halt ghosted away, back to where he had left Abelard. He had good reason to hate Morgarath. He had taken the throne, and the love of his life to be his own wife.

He would get Morgarath for taking Pauline.

 ***Imma line break***

 _"Halt, go!" Pauline shouted as the rain beat down, slamming into the ground. Morgarath stood, watching everything._

 _"Archers." He shouted, his voice carrying across the small field. A hundred arrows trained them onto Halt._

 _"Go!" Pauline screamed, straining against Morgarath's cruel hands. "Go!"_

 _Halt took one last look at his wife, hair plastered against her face, and ran. Using his cloak to hide himself, like so, so often before, he ran. This time, he didn't even try to stop the tears from falling down his face._

 _He had taken the throne, the lives of so many good men, and now his wife._ Morgarath, you had better watch his back and sleep with one eye open. _Halt thought._ Because I will get you.

 ***Imma line break***

Halt blinked, shaking the memory from his mind. That had to be the worst day of his life, right along with the day he watch Morgarath execute Duncan, Cassandra, and all the Ranger's but him, Will, and Gilan. Nearly everyone he knew and cared about were dead and gone.

 ***Imma line break***

 _Hey guys! I loved writing this. What is wrong with me? Why do I love writing sad/evil/mean stuff so much?! Well, next chapter I'm planning on incorporating Horace and Gilan. Then, Magiks! Action! Good stuff! Anyways, tell me what you think? Pleeeeeeeeeeasse? Thanks for reading! Until next chapter,_

 _~Wisper Ranger 26_


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